Practical Strategies for Demonstrating the Value of Public Services in Academic Libraries

ABSTRACT

The inspiration for this column stems from repeated conversations with librarians who are struggling with campus assumptions about their roles and little acknowledgment of their influence on student success. Countering these perceptions is particularly crucial as public services continue to evolve, and people flourish in non-traditional roles while remaining true to select core services. This column includes practical strategies for elevating the reputation of public services across academic institutions, including building new relationships, advocating for colleagues and their specializations, actively participating in campus committees, simplifying basic data collection, designing outcomes-based assessments, setting expectations with data, and communicating success.

KEYWORDS:

• Public services
• academic libraries
• value
• assessment
• metrics
• outreach